GQF Sportsman 1502 staggered hatch.

[Urb sustain]

So this year, it was impossible to line up all the eggs we wanted to bring in for the same weeks because of demand. So never having done a staggered hatch I decided to do 9 hatches over 2 months. Biggest hatch only 4 5 dozen. I knew the risk and have been at this a long time. I have 3 or 5 Styrofoam ones but I only use the egg turner to hold eggs. Anyway hatch #7 it has went well. Did vacuum 2 and had to rescue, but after that hiccup it went well. The key is the tape over the hole the air gets pushed out. If its lock day I cover half the hole humidity goes around 65%. From there I pull bitties every 12 hrs. When done, remove tape, presto magic show. Yes I could use the styrofoam ones, but they suck and our hatch rate this yr so far, 92% thats with umpteen dozen mail eggs. Anyway super stoked had to share, excited to raise out and look at 200-300 orpington. I hope this is the last yr we bring in genetics from outside! Hatching my own eggs at my discretion is so much easier.

 

[casportpony]

Thanks for sharing. Have you thought about buying something to use as a hatcher?

 

[Urb sustain]

Thanks for sharing. Have you thought about buying something to use as a hatcher?

We talked about buying another unit, but it has gone so well that I think for what we do, (hatch alot keep the best if there is a best sell off the rest) it doesn't make sense. If I were gonna do it full time I would definitely buy a second unit. I'm down to my last 2 hatches today and Monday, the unit has run without fail since April 15th. No cleaning no anything but add water and did replace the sponges 2 weeks ago. Hatch rate on our eggs 94%, mail order eggs all over the place but thats expected.
I will never do it this way again. Hatching easy. 9 sets 14 brooders birds from 8weeks to 1day all day everyday, I've gotten nothing done for 2 months. Gonna have some nice birds next yr, so 4 months of insanity might be worth it

 

[Hayes Ranch]

Is the 1502 designed for stagger hatching? And are you saying to put some in the bottom to hatch as others are still incubating in the rotating shelves? Would this work for example, if you collect chicken eggs for seven days (12-24 eggs), put them in the incubator, repeat next week, and so on. In the mean while, once you hit lock down on the first batch and they are in the hatching area in the bottom, how does that effect the other eggs in earlier stages? I am new to incubating, but I have read several threads on here and I have some barnyard chickens and access to other fertilized eggs to get started. I know the better way would be have a second machine to hatch in but, for now I don't want to.